'Eco-town' sites shortlist revealed

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The Department for Communities and Local Government unveiled its shortlist of 15 potential schemes for low-carbon, environmentally friendly towns, which will be whittled down to up to 10 successful bids over the next six months.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint said the eco-town schemes would help tackle the twin challenges of climate change and affordable housing, with the successful proposals having to supply between 30% and 50% affordable homes.

The settlements of between 5,000 and 20,000 homes, none of which are to be sited on green belt land, will have to be zero-carbon as a whole and be an "exemplar" in at least one area of environmental sustainability.

But many of the areas which have made it on to the shortlist have attracted protests over the damage they could do to existing communities or destruction of greenfield land and natural areas.

The sites which have sparked controversy include plans for a 15,000 home eco-town in Weston-on-the-Green, near Oxford, where Tim Henman's parents have lived for 40 years and where he grew up.

Other controversial sites which have angered local communities have made it on to the shortlist, including Pennbury in Lincolnshire; Middle Quinton, near Stratford, Warwickshire and Marston Vale and New Marston, Bedfordshire.

But other proposals which sparked protests, including one planned for Grovewood, Derbyshire, are among more than 40 rejected by the DCLG in drawing up the shortlist.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced at the Labour Party conference last year he was doubling the maximum number of eco-towns from five to 10 following a positive reaction to the project. But since then conservation groups and residents have grown increasingly vocal about their fears over the towns as details of potential sites emerged.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said while one or two of the proposed sites could win its support if developed properly, overall it was "disappointed" with the shortlist. CPRE planning officer Kate Gordon said: "There are a number of locations that involve the loss of greenfield land, a loss of agricultural land and would damage attractive landscapes."